


No One Mourns a Villain

by Remasa



Series: Miraculous Users [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, F/M, Family, Hawk Moth Redemption, Hawk Moth is Gabriel Agreste, Redemption
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-04
Updated: 2018-01-10
Packaged: 2019-02-28 03:27:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13262664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Remasa/pseuds/Remasa
Summary: Hawkmoth had it all planned. Every moment. Every possibility. He swore there would be no one to mourn him. No tears... So why can't anything ever go according to plan?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written before Season 2 aired.
> 
> Thank you to PerditaAlottachocolate for beta-reading this.

"An alliance? You're crazy," Ladybug said with a snort of disbelief. "You've been trying to take our Miraculouses for _years_. Why would we ally with you now?"

"Because you have no other choice," Hawkmoth replied in a cool, even tone. "What is out there now is what I have fought before in the past. Akumas are nothing. _This_ is what Miraculouses were to be used for."

"So why can't you take it on alone?"

Ladybug watched as Hawkmoth sighed and turned to look out the window of the room where the three now conversed, hidden away from all civilians. It wasn't so much that the two heroes had been captured, per say, but rather they responded to a tentative offer of peace to listen to their nemesis and his request. Now, Ladybug and Chat Noir found themselves standing inside the so-called lair – the dome-shaped abandoned structure where Hawkmoth has been hiding for the last two years, complete with an iron-wrought butterfly enclosure behind them. But despite the isolation and perfect opportunity for betrayal, Hawkmoth didn't appear to have any ill intentions... yet. He simply had offered to form an alliance against their most recent threat. The one that nearly defeated the two teenagers earlier that day.

"My wife is missing," he said at last, a doleful expression upon his face. "She is the only one who can stop this." He glanced to Ladybug. "Your Miraculous can do much, but my wife's was specially designed to counter this evil. However, the power of the Ladybug and Chat Noir Miraculouses can bring her back."

Ladybug growled at him. "Have you ever thought about just _asking_ us for help instead of attacking us?"

At this, Hawkmoth whirled around, anger etched into his face. "Ask you? _Ask you?_ The very thought has crossed my mind every moment I send out an akuma. Tell me, what would you have answered had I asked you for help from the very beginning?"

"I would help you," she replied instantly. "I still want to help you."

Beside her, Chat nodded. "And me, too."

A flicker of anguish passed over Hawkmoth's face. "How dare I ask something so selfish of children?" he whispered.

Ladybug faltered. Chat tensed, ready to defend if necessary. "So you attack us instead?"

Hawkmoth leveled a look so condescending at her, she wanted to protest but didn't know at what. "Do you know what your combined Miraculouses would do?"

"Bring back your wife?" Ladybug hazarded a guess.

"Precisely," came the cold reply. "My akuma, Pharaoh, should have taught you one thing above all else: to bring back a life, one must be given in its place. The balance will not be broken."

Both Ladybug and Chat Noir's mouths dropped open. "Wait," Chat began as the words finally started to sink in, "this whole time, you've _always_ planned on sacrificing yourself?"

Hawkmoth turned away. "I cannot ask this of anyone else. It is my own selfish request. You two have your whole lives ahead of you. Who would mourn a villain if he were to just one day... disappear?"

"What about your civilian identity?" Ladybug challenged.

Another low, dark chuckle escaped. "No one would miss me. My wife was my better half. The light of my life. The light of anyone's life. No matter, it is of little consequence. You _need_ my wife to help you with your current fight. You do not need me. Those are the facts. I do not expect you to understand, but you must accept them."

"Like hell I will," Chat growled suddenly. "You must be stupid if you think either one of us is going to let you die that easily."

"Idiot boy!" Hawkmoth ground out in return. "As if I would let either one of _you_ two die as easily! I have planned for this moment! I have my affairs in order and I guarantee people will celebrate my demise. I have spent the last two years preparing for this day. People mourn a hero's death. They cheer for a villain's death. I refuse to allow my wife to be blamed for the death of a hero – even if that hero used to be me." He sighed, all his passion fading away once more. "A villain's death is all I deserve."

"There has to be another way," Ladybug mused.

"There isn't," Hawkmoth insisted.

Ladybug harrumphed. "I'm not giving up, either." She turned and went to the window overlooking Paris, deep in thought. She recalled their fight earlier – the one where she and Chat fought side by side, losing, until Hawkmoth swooped in and swung his cane with a resounding _crack_ at the villain. The heroes gaped at the arrival of their nemesis even as the new threat dissolved into nothing with a fading howl. They tensed and readied their weapons as Hawkmoth turned to them.

"I propose a truce, if you'll hear me out," he said.

They stared at him for a moment longer before Chat cleared his throat and turned to Ladybug. "It couldn't hurt to listen, could it?" he said.

She nodded in agreement. "Okay," she told Hawkmoth. "We're listening."

"Not here. We're too exposed."

Before she could ask what he meant, Hawkmoth snapped his fingers and a cloud of butterflies descended upon them. Fighting the instinct to swat them away even as Chat growled, she allowed them to settle upon her more out of surprise than complacency. The cloud lifted her and Chat up and over the rooftops of Paris before depositing them in the observatory.

Now, she cast a glance to Hawkmoth, who stood fixated on the crystal in his cane, refusing to meet their eyes. Chat continued watching him with guarded wariness, ready to attack or defend should the need arise. She didn't think that was necessary. Hawkmoth's entire countenance exuded resigned defeat – along with a deep, well-worn weariness she had never thought she would ever attribute to the villain.

She believed him sincere in his words. The battle had shifted unfavorably against them very early on, and only when the new threat trapped them both did they realize a bit late that this wasn't an akumatized victim. If Hawkmoth hadn't shown up when he had... Ladybug shook her head.

Hawkmoth had nothing to gain by helping them. He could have watched in the shadows, stepping in at the very end to snatch their Miraculouses. If this was a ploy to get their Miraculouses, Hawkmoth was going about it in a very convoluted manner. Ladybug identified no less than eight moments when he could have acted against them yet didn't.

She mulled over something. They needed advice and they needed it quick. Master Fu was her first thought but she didn't know exactly where he was. The mysterious guardian had vanished a few days prior with some cryptic words and she had been unable to contact him since. That left the one person she trusted most of all to guide her through all of the insanity that had fallen upon her since donning the mantle of Ladybug. It was risky... very risky... but Hawkmoth had risked everything by bringing them to his lair, unguarded.

She sighed. Chat was going to _hate_ this.

But Marinette refused to allow anyone to die under her watch. Not without a fight. And she hadn't confided in her greatest mentor yet. She turned back to the two.

"Maybe Tikki will know," she finally said in a quiet voice.

"Who's Tikki?" Two voices questioned in unison.

"My kwami."

"You can't release your transformation, Ladybug!" Chat protested, a fierce urgency lacing his words.

She tilted her head and narrowed her eyes at Chat in a challenge. "I plan on using every available tool at my disposal for this. If that means revealing my identity to you both, then I'm okay with that. Besides, Chat, after years of fighting by your side, it's the least you deserve."

"But wait, my La-"

"Tikki, spots off."

A long moment of silence.

"Marinette?"

She looked at Chat, then risked a glance at Hawkmoth. Both watched her, mouths agape in the stunned silence that followed. She frowned and folded her arms. "Do you _both_ know me?"

Chat and Hawkmoth looked at each other. Hawkmoth coughed and broke the silence first. "We've met."

Chat glared at Hawkmoth, then turned back to Marinette. "Uh, we attend the same school."

"Oh."

Hawkmoth chuckled, though there was no humor in the action. "This is further indication that I should be the one to go through with this. You have a bright future ahead of you and I refuse to allow that to be extinguished."

Marinette leveled a glare at him and stalked over to him, jabbing a finger in his chest. "You listen here, mister," she began hotly, emphasizing her words with various jabs even as Hawkmoth's eyes widened and he stepped back to escape the angry girl, "I told you before I will _not_ allow you to needlessly sacrifice yourself. If what you say is even true, then you're one of the only people who know what we're up against. Chat and I cannot stumble through this like we did with you and your akumas. This is far too dangerous. You would sacrifice yourself? Fine. That leaves Chat and I to fight alone. What do you think our odds of success will be then? And your wife? Do you think she would just be content to recover and let us fight?"

Hawkmoth gulped and his pupils constricted. Clearly he hadn't thought ahead that far.

"I..." he paused and looked to Chat, who watched Marinette with undisguised awe. "Though you have a fair point, it still remains that I have planned for this moment. As I said earlier, nobody will miss me. I have anticipated my sacrifice from the very beginning."

"How can you be so sure of that?" Marinette demanded, crossing her arms. "If you're married, do you have a family?"

Hawkmoth's mouth opened and closed before nodding. "Yes," he whispered. "But I told you, I have made sure my son won't care if I'm gone."

"Well too bad," Marinette said, bitter venom thick in her voice. "Because if you trick me and sacrifice yourself, I'll make sure your son knows every moment of your heroism. I'll see to it that the entire _world_ mourns you."

"Why?"

"Because you're being an idiot."

The dumbstruck look on Hawkmoth's face broke Chat. He laughed. "Wow, my Lady, that was rather blunt."

Marinette scowled and turned away, ignoring her partner. "Tikki, is what he is saying true?"

The red kwami, previously floating unobserved, flew in between the three of them. "Unfortunately, Hawkmoth is correct," she stated. "If one person enters, only one person may leave."

"Then it's agreed," Hawkmoth cut in, only to be silenced with a deadly glare from Marinette. He shrunk back.

Marinette thought for a moment. "What if two people were to enter instead?" she mused aloud.

"Then two people can leave," Tikki said, "but not three people."

"Hmm," she thought, placing a finger upon her lips.

"What are you thinking?" Chat asked, curious.

"I think I have a plan," she said. "But you're not going to like it."

Chat planted his feet. "I already don't like how you're starting your explanation."

"Do you remember Timebreaker?"

Chat blinked. "Uh... which part?"

"The part where there were two of me in the same place at the same time?"

"No," Hawkmoth spoke up. "I refuse to cooperate."

Marinette cast him an exasperated look. "You don't even know what I'm planning."

Hawkmoth's lips curled into a knowing smile. "Oh? You're planning on having two of you enter and leave one behind, correct?"

Marinette blinked. "Wow that's... well, yes, actually."

"No."

"Since when do you get a say in this?"

"Since you need my powers for this to work."

Chat cleared his throat. "Uh, I think I'm still a few steps behind. Care to explain in more detail?"

Marinette turned to him. "You give me your ring and I use the combined powers to open the gate. Then, Hawkmoth akumatizes you into someone who can duplicate me. I enter with one copy, find and rescue Mrs. Hawkmoth, and return. I leave the copy behind. Once outside, Hawkmoth can release your akuma and I'll use Miraculous Ladybug to restore everything to normal."

"No." Chat's refusal to cooperate echoed Hawkmoth's. "I can't believe I'm agreeing with _him_ ," he jabbed a clawed thumb at Hawkmoth, "but it's too dangerous."

"It's the only way we have a shot at this."

Hawkmoth shook his head. "No. There's no guarantee that your cleanse will work as you intend. What if it transports the real you out here back into the void?"

"Then we're at 50/50 odds, which is better than what you had."

"No."

Marinette stamped her foot in anger. "It's the only way and you know it! Stop being stubborn and face facts. This is the best option for all of us!"

Chat stepped toward her. "Let me go in, instead."

"I can't," Marinette said. "I won't be able to cleanse if I'm akumatized."

"But if I have both of the Miraculouses, I can cleanse, right?"

"No," Tikki interjected. "You'll have a different power for the combination, but Marinette will still be able to cleanse. All you'll be able to do is Cataclysm."

Chat looked torn. His eyes roamed over Marinette as if trying to memorize every part of her. With each passing second, he got more visibly distressed. His chin trembled and he clenched his jaw to counter it. His hands shook so he tightened them into fists. His eyes watered and he straightened, holding his back stiff. Marinette's heart splintered as she watched him losing his inner battle. She stepped over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'll come back, kitty," she murmured in his ear as he buried his face in her shoulder. "I promise."

"You better," he choked out, losing his composure at last and breaking down into little sobs. "I can't bear to lose you."

They stood together for a long moment in a tight embrace before Marinette gently pulled away. Hawkmoth had wandered over into a corner of the room, talking with Tikki in a low voice. She was grateful for his discretion. He glanced over and saw them apart and wandered back into range.

"This is ridiculous," he muttered, "I cannot allow you to do this."

"You must. It's the best chance we have for success and you know it."

He closed his eyes, accepting defeat. He knew she was right but didn't like it. He would never come to terms with it, even if the logic behind it was sound. She could see it written on his face.

"Chat?" she said, "Can you do me one last favor?"

"Anything, my Lady," he replied without hesitation.

"If this doesn't end up working," she began, biting her lip. "Can you tell my parents?"

Chat's face clouded over, but he nodded. "You have my word, my Lady."

"And Alya? She's my best friend and she's in my class and-"

"I know Alya," Chat cut in, a gentle assurance in his words.

"And Nino and Adrien? They're my closest friends and they... well, they deserve to know."

Chat blinked, looking stunned. "I... of course."

"You don't have to tell them the truth," she continued, "but just let them know what happened to me?"

"They're going to get the entire truth. They deserve it."

She nodded. "Thank you, Chat."

"I don't like this," Hawkmoth iterated again, shifting on his feet with reluctance. "It should be me going in." At her glare, he held up a hand. "But I know you will not be dissuaded. So thank you, Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Thank you for helping me even though I have made the last two years of your life rather difficult."

Marinette quirked a smile. "It wasn't all that bad. I met Chat, after all." She grinned at her partner, who returned it with a watery smile of his own. "But I would like to know who you are, really."

Hawkmoth heaved a long, heavy sigh, his shoulders slumping with resignation. "It's only fair. However, I should warn you: prepare to be disappointed. Nooroo, dark wings fall."

When the purple glow vanished, Marinette was left staring up at Gabriel Agreste, frowning at them both.

"Mr. Agreste!" Marinette gasped, her hands covering her mouth.

"Might I attempt to convince you one last time to allow me to go in your place?" he argued again, his back ramrod straight and his hands clenched into fists at his side. He looked between their dumbstruck expressions. "Now that you know my civilian identity, you can both probably agree that it would be best. No one would miss-"

He was cut off by a sudden black blur smashing into him and slamming him against the wall.

"Chat!"

Chat snarled as he clenched Gabriel's jacket in his fists, white-hot fury radiating from him. "How _dare_ you," he growled out, emphasizing each word with a darkness Marinette had never heard from her partner. Gabriel blinked at him but did nothing to stop the assault. "How dare you claim that no one would miss you." The anger slowly melted away, to be replaced by Chat dissolving into wracking sobs. "Why would you think that?" He slid to the floor, dragging Gabriel with him. "Why would you _ever_ think that?" His body heaved with choked gasps. He bowed his head, still clutching Gabriel like he was his last lifeline.

Gabriel's face contorted into confusion. "I don't understand," he said. "I've done everything I could to ensure my disappearance would go off without-"

"Stop that!" Chat screamed and Gabriel closed his mouth. Marinette wanted to run forward and grab her partner, but some instinct held her back. Instead she scooped up the two kwamis and sat down against the wall. Her hands shook as she cupped Tikki and Nooroo. "Stop saying that!" Chat cried as the tears fell freely down his face. "Is that what you've been doing all these years? All this time? It was all an act?"

Gabriel gulped and placed his hands on top of Chat's lightly. "I had to," he insisted in a gentle voice, his face softening with sympathy as he squeezed the boy's hands, "once I realized what needed to be done to get my wife back. I don't expect you to understand how painfully hard this has been for me, to push everyone away. I'm sorry this has affected you."

"Ladybug was right, you are an idiot."

"I- I know."

"Because it didn't work," Chat continued in a mumble, tears still streaming from his eyes. He looked up at Gabriel. "Whatever you did, it didn't work. You failed." He shook Gabriel weakly. His hands trembled. Gabriel closed his eyes in defeat.

"I know."

"No, you don't. You failed because you didn't push everyone away like you wanted. There's still people who care about you."

"There's no one."

"There's me!"

The silence hung in the air, punctuated only by quiet sobs from Chat. He inhaled a shaky breath and looked up at Gabriel. "I still love you. I always have. And I always will. Plagg, claws in."

The green light dissolved around Chat, and all that was left was Adrien Agreste clutching his father.

"Adrien?" The astonished gasp shattered the stoic mask at last as Gabriel stared at his son. With eyes wide in horror and shock as realization sunk into him, Gabriel wrapped his arms around Adrien, gradually dissolving into tears himself. "Why?" Gabriel murmured into Adrien's ear, his voice cracking with emotion, "I did everything I could to guarantee that you would hate me, that you wouldn't miss me. Your mother would be back. You loved her. You missed _her_."

Adrien cried louder, his tears soaking Gabriel's jacket. "But she wasn't there!" he insisted. "And you were! You were all I had, Father. I would miss you the same as I miss her."

"Adrien... I'm so sorry," Gabriel said, resting his cheek upon his son's head.

They sat there for another long moment before Gabriel looked up at Marinette, who watched them silently with tears pooling in her eyes. "I suppose we should get this over with."

She nodded and stood, holding the kwamis out. Adrien scrubbed at his face with the back of his hand. Nooroo flew over to Gabriel, who offered a faint yet fond smile to his kwami.

"Plagg," Adrien said quietly and the black cat-like kwami that hovered near his shoulder zoomed in front of his face. "Thanks for everything, Plagg."

"Ugh," Plagg grumbled. "Just because I'm the best kwami of the bunch doesn't mean you have to get all sentimental on me. That's Tikki's area of expertise." Beside Marinette, Tikki rolled her eyes. "Your partner's got a good head on her shoulders, though I don't think she's got any cheese on her."

Adrien chuckled despite himself and pulled out a wedge from his pocket, holding it out to Plagg. The kwami's green eyes lit up. "That's the stuff!" he crowed, launching forward and snatching it from Adrien's fingers with a gulp. "And I expect double that when I return."

"You got it, Plagg. See you in a little while."

Adrien pulled off his ring as the kwami vanished and handed it to Marinette, who slipped it onto her own finger. It fit perfectly, despite Adrien's fingers being noticeably larger than hers. Plagg reappeared and released a giant yawn.

"Hello there," he greeted, acting like he was seeing her for the first time. "I'm Plagg, kwami of destruction. I give you magical powers. You got anything to eat around here?"

Tikki flew over and slapped him upside the head. "Plagg, I know very well you haven't lost your memories and you just ate."

Plagg grumbled as he glared at Tikki. "You can't blame me for trying. Anyway, now that you have both Miraculouses, you need a new name. Ladybug ain't gonna cut it with me. I was thinking... Ladyplagg."

Marinette scrunched up her face. "You intentionally want me to call you 'Lady Plagg'?" she asked.

"Nah, you're right. Too forward. Might give people the wrong idea that I'm cuddly and cute. How about 'Plagg Noir'?"

"How about Ladybug?" Tikki demanded, flying in his face. "Because if all goes according to plan, you'll be back with your own chosen soon."

Plagg flipped backwards in mid-air. "Who needs plans when we have a heavy dose of luck on our side? Our best option is just to slip in and out by the seat of our pants. I would say _winging it_ , but wings are really more of Nooroo's domain."

"What's going to happen when I combine the Miraculouses?" Marinette asked, bringing their attentions back to the current situation.

Tikki and Plagg stopped their bickering and turned to her, solemn expressions on both of their faces. "We don't know, Marinette."

"It's only happened a few times previously and each time has been different," Plagg explained. He grinned, showing his tiny fangs. "This one should be fun."

"Plagg!"

"Oh, just get on with it already," Plagg replied, irritated with the delays. "When you transform, you'll feel different. You'll get the urge to simultaneously destroy and create everything all at once."

"Uhm, yay?"

"Not 'yay', pay attention," Plagg admonished, floating up to her eyes. "You'll need to focus. If you don't you risk losing everything. If you unleash that much destructive power without a guiding force then you could level this entire block."

Marinette gulped and looked over to Adrien. His jaw was set firm and he nodded once to her. "If anyone can do it, I know you can, Marinette," he said with absolute conviction.

She swallowed hard and nodded back at him. "Okay, focus. Got it."

Tikki floated up and joined in the explanation. "It will be my powers that limit Plagg's. He'll be leaking destruction from everywhere and it's up to me to contain that much explosive energy. Don't worry, Marinette, I know you can do it!"

"Eh," Plagg began, dousing water over the group once more, "it still might be better if we had some kind of shield."

"Well we don't this time," Tikki remarked.

Plagg glanced over to Gabriel. "Well, not in the traditional sense," he said.

Tikki tilted her head and zipped over to Gabriel. She examined Nooroo. "Hmm, I don't know if it will work," she mused.

"If what will work?" Gabriel asked. "I am willing to try anything."

"It's not really up to you," Tikki said. "It's one of the limitations to you not being a perfect fit for the Miraculous. But it might act as a screen. Nooroo, do you think you could try?"

The purple kwami nodded. "I think despite our difference of opinion, I can resonate a bit more now with his inner energy."

"Nooroo?" Gabriel asked. "What do I need to do?"

"After you send out your akuma, you need to hold up your cane. I'll create a soft dome of light to contain any stray bursts from the portal Ladybug will create. It's not as good as a solid shield, but it might offer some level of protection."

Gabriel nodded in understanding.

"What will happen inside the portal?" Marinette asked.

Tikki sighed and shook her head. "It's difficult to say. There is no substance, nothing physical to stand in. You'll be walking on air. The longer you remain, the further the current sucks you into the center."

"So how far do I need to go?"

Tikki shrugged. "After two years? Perhaps only minutes. The current will guide you in the correct direction. Your footsteps will cross over time. A single step replaces months. Getting in is easy. Getting out is the tricky part."

"You need a guide," Plagg took over. He looked between Gabriel and Adrien before flying up into Gabriel's face. "Your telepathic abilities as an empath will allow you to connect to her mind. You need to be the guiding force for Ladybug. She will want to falter and you'll need to keep her on track. The currents will fight against her. They want to keep her inside. Her memory and motivations will begin to fade. It will be your job to get her out. Mess up, and the last thing you see will be me guiding Ladybug's hand of Cataclysm at your face. Got it?"

Gabriel nodded, unperturbed by the threat. "Understood."

"It is time," Tikki said.

Adrien reached into his pocket and withdrew the charm she had given him many months ago. He smiled at her, though his eyes watered. She returned it. She called her transformations and was dimly aware of Gabriel doing the same beside her. The feeling of both of the Miraculouses melded together and the power coursed through her veins. Her arms tingled with anticipation. Her vision sharpened. Her fingers twitched. She needed to do something. Anything...

The walls closed in on her. She needed to get rid of them.

She raised a hand, eager to summon destruction.

Something inside her forced it back down.

Her hand trembled, fighting against her instinctive desires.

Beside her, Hawkmoth summoned an akuma, but this time it remained white, not the purple-mottled black. He aimed it at Adrien, who didn't look away from Marinette. The akuma settled onto his charm.

"Duplicity, I grant you powers to aid me in my fight."

Adrien nodded and the power swept over him. When the white cloud vanished, he looked much the same. Apparently, Hawkmoth didn't want to waste time or energy thinking of creative costumes or ideas.

Adrien held up the charm, now glowing, and touched it to Marinette. She felt a surreal disembodiment, as if she was being sucked through a thick layer of jelly. When she looked beside her, a duplicate smiled with her.

"Miraculous Gateway," she intoned, the words forming at her lips by instinct as she held up her palm. Black threads shot from her hand, criss-crossing each other as they quickly formed a doorway in front of her. Red threads outlined the edges, extending to the floor and raising high above them, folding inwards in an arch. The red lines pulsated with power as they pushed at the darkness within the boundaries; containing it. Hawkmoth raised his cane high and a faint pinkish-purple dome surrounded them. Energy crackled within the darkness of the gateway, hissing and spitting with electrified energy. The air surrounding them hummed with power. She focused on the vortex. The crackling lessened and the swirling energy slowed. With one last glance at the anxious faces of Hawkmoth and Adrien, she stepped inside.


	2. Chapter 2

It was like stepping through a fog machine. Wisps of darkness threaded around her, caressing her skin with soft tendrils of energy. She and her duplicate stepped ahead into the inky unknown with careful, precise footsteps. With each tentative stride, Marinette could feel the current drawing her forward on a gentle yet deliberate pathway. She resisted the urge to succumb to the guiding current and forced herself to pause and contemplate her next movement. She inhaled as she inched her way through the void.

Inhale.

Step.

Exhale.

Step.

How long she continued like this, she wasn't sure. Time slipped away within the darkness of the portal. How much time had passed? Minutes? Hours? She couldn't be certain. She pushed away the rising panic in her mind and steadied her breathing, concentrating on her task at hand. Calm settled over her once again.

Inhale.

Step.

Exhale.

Step.

Eventually the darkness parted and she spotted a woman floating in front of her. The sunshine-blonde hair was unmistakable and with a gasp of recognition, she rushed over to her.

Without needing to be told, her duplicate grabbed Mrs. Agreste's feet while Marinette hooked her under the arms. As one, they began to inch back to the entrance. Only, there was nothing but dark emptiness surrounding her.

No red-bordered doorway.

Nothing.

Panic flashed through her, and she fought the urge to start running. She took a slow, deep breath and gradually her thumping heart slowed. She began to hear a voice. A familiar voice soothing away the anxiety.

"Marinette, continue walking forward. Step by step. In this direction. Toward me."

She followed the gentle voice for a few steps before she faltered. This voice. She recognized it.

"Marinette, focus!" the voice sharpened. "Stay calm. Keep walking."

The voice! It...

The thought escaped her as her mind blanked to everything but the echoing voice in her head. She continued again for a few more slow steps.

"That's good, you're almost there. Keep going."

Something nagged at the back of her mind. This voice. It seemed _so_ familiar with it's alluring hypnotic suggestions. Suggestions... suggestions... what was it...? A flash of understanding shot through her. The voice could not be trusted! She stepped to the side.

"Marinette! Ugh," the voice groaned in her mind, "I cannot... she's resisting... I feel her energy slipping away." Marinette stepped to the side again and the voice dimmed in her head. "Marinette focus!" Something rumbled across the void and the voice answered, "No, instinctively she mistrusts me. I..." Marinette stepped away again, eager to get rid of the voice once and for all. "...nette!... door..." Another step and the words jumbled together, eventually fading away entirely.

Blissful silence. Nothing more of the voice that echoed in her thoughts. Of the voice she wanted to trust but something deep inside her held her back. All around her, the darkness tickled her senses and played with her mind. But she feared the darkness less than she feared that soft oily voice.

"Marinette!"

The shout shattered the silence. A different voice this time. Her body hummed with relief. She knew this voice. She trusted this voice.

"Marinette, please listen to me," it begged. "You must follow my voice."

Yes, she would follow this new voice. The voice she trusted. The voice laced with panic and fear and everything she didn't _want_ to run to, but something told her it was better than the seductive whispers of the darkness behind her. She stepped towards the rough voice. The voice thick with emotion and desperation and something else she couldn't identify but it cried to her and nothing else sounded so perfect in the entire world than that voice right at this very moment.

"That's it, Marinette, you're so close," the voice encouraged her. She stepped forward. "You're almost there. Just a few more steps." In the distance, she spotted the outline of a doorway edged in red. The darkness within the borders appeared even blacker somehow, as if the energy within condensed and absorbed extra light. She had to get to that doorway. Her steps slowed as the air tightened around her. She was fighting a current of thickness that pushed and protested her escape. Her thoughts cleared the closer she stepped.

The voice helped.

"Come on, Marinette. You're almost there. I can feel you. Step forward. You're right at the edge. How are we supposed to work as partners if you stay behind in there? Who's going to race me across the rooftops of Paris at twilight? Who's going to challenge me to a picture scavenger hunt of monuments all across town? Who's going to bet with me on who can get the most selfies with our fans? C'mon, partner. I know you're right there. Step forward."

She reached the doorway now. Marinette propped Mrs. Agreste on her back with her duplicate's help. With a deep breath and one last look behind her, she closed her eyes... and hesitated. The whispers grew louder, almost deafening as they crashed into her mind, urging her to stay.

" _Step forward, Marinette!_ "

She obeyed without a second thought.

A deafening explosion erupted behind her as the door crackled with energy upon releasing the two bodies from the void. Lights streamed skyward, illuminating the night sky as they burst into vibrant displays of reds. A pink glow surrounded her and she flinched from the impact of the inevitable shockwave.

It never hit.

She cracked open her eyes and spotted Hawkmoth standing firm, clenching his cane high in the air. Perspiration shone on his face as he held his cane steady and unyielding against the onslaught of the energy from the vortex. She realized his faint shield protected them from the majority of the blast, deflecting the energy skyward into the brilliant firework-like spectacle. When the portal doorway finally fizzled into a churning silence a few moments later, Hawkmoth dropped his hand with an exhausted groan.

Instantly, Marinette felt her own energy zapped the moment the shield dissipated. She stumbled as the world righted itself in a dizzying whirl of vertigo. Strong hands steadied her before she could crash to the ground. She looked up into the concerned face of Hawkmoth, who hurried to grab onto Mrs. Agreste and gently lift her off of Marinette's back. He set her onto the ground. With an absent wave of his hand, he released Adrien's akuma. The white butterfly floated out of his charm and dissolved into energy. Adrien swayed, then shook his head and rushed over Marinette, smothering her in a giant hug.

"You made it," he cried.

"Only thanks to you. I heard your voice," she said.

He tightened his hug. "Father said he was losing you. I... couldn't lose you too." Adrien suppressed a sob. "I saw him struggling to keep the connection. Something inside me snapped." Marinette's heart fractured. She buried her head into his shirt. "I just couldn't let you vanish forever. Father said it was only because he was linked to me that I was able to pierce through the barrier."

"Whatever you did, it worked. I trusted you."

"We're partners, bugaboo."

"Forever?"

He nodded against her head. "Always." He held her for a moment longer before gently releasing her and hurrying over to his mother's side. His father sat beside her with his hands hovering above Mrs. Agreste's body.

"Father, will she be okay?" Adrien asked.

"I don't know," Hawkmoth murmured, scanning her body intently. "I'm sensing a swirl of emotion coming from her, but no visible distress. Why won't she awaken?"

"Because I haven't cast my cure yet," Marinette said. Both men looked up at her as she tossed her yo-yo sky-high with a cry. The object barely had time to settle into her hands before she bent down to throw it up again.

"Wait!" Adrien yelled, standing and running to her. He wrapped his arms tightly around her. "Okay," he murmured, "do it now. I'm not letting go."

She smiled at him, drinking in his strength. With one last look at the prone Mrs. Agreste and her distraught husband, she launched her Lucky Charm into the air with a shout, closing her eyes as the object activated and swept across the city.

Darkness.

And then, warm hands.

She opened her eyes. Adrien still gripped her. "Adrien?" she murmured against his shirt.

"Marinette!" he cried. "You're still here."

"And the doorway is sealed," Hawkmoth noted. Both teens turned and saw he was correct. There was no more black and red threaded entryway in the room. "Dark wings fall," he murmured and his transformation faded in the absence of any further threat. He still held Mrs. Agreste, gazing into her face with an expression of pure love. She had yet to stir.

"Mom," Adrien exclaimed, kneeling beside them. Marinette released her transformation wearily and followed Adrien. She smiled at Plagg before twisting off his ring and pressing it into Adrien's hand. He stared at it with a blank expression for a moment. Then an eager smile crept upon his face and he slipped it back onto his finger. Plagg reappeared and settled onto Adrien's shoulder, clinging to his original chosen's neck to lend his support. For once, he remained silent.

"Why didn't my cure work?" she asked Tikki.

"It did," Tikki assured her. "Mr. Agreste could feel it, couldn't you?"

He nodded once, not taking his eyes off of his wife. "Her energy shifted. But she's been gone almost two years. It will take some time to fight through the barriers."

His kwami perched upon his head, clinging to his hair and dislodging a few strands as he grabbed onto them for support. Gabriel took no notice of how his mussed hair now ruined his meticulous appearance. He entwined the fingers of one hand into his wife's and with his other hand he gently stroked her face. Adrien grabbed her other hand and held it with both of his. Marinette sat down beside Adrien and leaned into him, settling her arms around his waist. Any other time, she would have been a stammering mess, but her focus was only on providing support for him. For his family.

They continued watching Mrs. Agreste, the silence only broken by Gabriel keeping up a steady stream of soft platitudes of love and devotion and pleading. The longer they sat, the more nervous Marinette got. What if Tikki was wrong? What if her cure wasn't strong enough? Adrien began to tremble in her grip. She squeezed him tightly. Gabriel's pleas grew desperate. She reached over and set one hand upon his arm. She couldn't start doubting herself now. She had to be confident. She had to believe in her cure. Believe in Tikki. She had to be the rock to which the two Agrestes clung.

Adrien stilled, settling down once more. Gabriel looked up at her and met her resolute smile. He swallowed and blinked away tears before resuming his whispers of undying love, the desperation once again muted somewhat.

It felt like hours passed. Marinette's legs cramped, then numbed over with sleep. She refused to move, fearing her shifting action would fracture the tentative spell over the group. Adrien continued clenching his mother's hand, and Gabriel didn't budge from his knelt posture, even though Marinette was certain his back and knees must be killing him. The kwamis remained quiet for the most part, though each one would occasionally do something to comfort their owner. Tikki nuzzled into Marinette's cheek. Plagg squeezed Adrien's neck. Nooroo ruffled Gabriel's hair. Each action reset the calm over them and grounded them back to the present, soothing their rising fears.

Eventually, Mrs. Agreste's breathing quickened. Gabriel leaned forward, his face drawn in anxiety. Adrien followed suit. Marinette's breath hitched in her throat.

The seconds passed.

Then, eyes fluttered open.

Marinette exhaled in a loud _whoosh._ Beside her, Adrien did the same. She didn't even realize he held his breath, too. Fresh tears streamed down Gabriel's face as he breathed a single word.

"Emilie?"

A long silence followed.

"Gabriel?"

The name passed through dry lips, cracking and weak and barely audible, but Gabriel heaved a shuddering breath and released a sob at the same time. He lifted her head with the gentlest of touches and cradled her to his chest, weeping.

"Mom?" Adrien croaked and Mrs. Agreste turned to him. She blinked and offered a faint smile, her eyes shining with tears.

"Adrien," she whispered. She lifted her hand from Adrien's to reach up and stroke the back of her finger along his damp cheek.

Gabriel still kept his head buried in his wife's shoulder, and didn't appear to be wanting to stop anytime soon. His cries shook his entire body as he finally allowed himself to break down and _feel_. Marinette could only imagine the overwhelming emotions coursing through him right now. Emotions he had previously shuttered away: grief, love, remorse, hope... and guilt. Despite all he had put her through, she couldn't help but share in those same emotions. The complete turnaround from the stoic man she had known and the cold villain she had fought concerned her. As Adrien fussed with his mother, she released her arms from his waist and, with a pained grunt as her legs refused to cooperate, dragged herself over to Gabriel and gently draped her arms across his shoulders. One hand automatically reached up and gripped her wrist in acknowledgment.

"She's going to be okay," she whispered in his ear. He nodded, his eyes squeezed tight and his glasses fogged over with tears.

"Who is this?" Mrs. Agreste's soft voice brought Marinette's attention to the woman lying on the ground again. In the few minutes since she had awoken, her voice already sounded stronger. Steadier. Her green eyes – so much like Adrien's – settled upon Marinette.

She opened her mouth but Gabriel looked up and answered first.

"This is the bravest, strongest, most compassionate girl I have ever met," he said with sincerity, staring at his wife. He gently placed her head on the ground again, then took off his glasses and cleaned them with the edge of his ascot. He unbuttoned his coat and shrugged it off, balling it haphazardly into a crumpled pillow which he placed with delicate care underneath Mrs. Agreste's head.

Mrs. Agreste smiled at Marinette, who had turned bright red at Gabriel's words, then looked to her husband. "High praise, coming from you," she teased.

"She saved you," Gabriel said. Mrs. Agreste met Marinette's eyes.

"I owe you much."

"She saved me," Gabriel added, guilt threatening to shatter the fragile peace he had collected thus far.

Mrs. Agreste glanced at her husband, then back at Marinette. "Then I owe you everything."

Marinette felt certain she was redder than she ever had been in her life. She shrunk away and looked to Adrien.

Mistake.

He stared at her with adoration and her senses went into overload. Adrien Agreste, the love of her life, her loyal partner, gazed at her with all the love and devotion she had ever dreamed he would.

It was all she could do to not short-circuit. She returned her focus to Mrs. Agreste.

"You don't owe me anything," she insisted. "I'm really glad you're okay."

Mrs. Agreste smiled at her. "You're a sweetheart," she said. "What's your name?"

"Marinette."

"A lovely name." She smiled at her again. Marinette returned it. Then, Mrs. Agreste groaned and attempted to sit up. A scandalized expression appeared on Gabriel's face and he tried to push his wife back down.

"Emilie, take it easy," he insisted, "you've been through a lot."

She grumbled and shot a look at her husband. He backed away. Marinette stifled a giggle. "Gabriel, I feel as if I have just taken a long nap. I feel physically okay. I just needed a few moments to recover. Now you can either help me up or get back so I can have darling Marinette beside you help me instead." Gabriel scrambled into action, easing his hands around his wife's shoulders and lifting her up. "Thank you, dear," she said. She paused, for the first time noticing the purple kwami perched upon Gabriel's head. "Is that Nooroo?"

The kwami fluttered down and twirled around Mrs. Agreste. "Emilie," he cried. She giggled and cupped the tiny thing.

"Hello, darling," she cooed.

Gabriel cleared his throat and fingered his brooch. "I uh, I must explain," he said. "It's a really long story. But first, here's your Miraculous back." He withdrew the pin. Nooroo vanished and he handed it to his wife, who pinned it to her outfit. Nooroo reappeared.

"My little Nooroo," she cooed again. "I thought I had lost you forever when I failed my mission." She looked up at Gabriel. "Darling, where is your Miraculous?"

Marinette released a gasp, choking on her own saliva, which quickly turned into a hacking fit. When she finally recovered, she discovered all three Agrestes staring at her with various degrees of concern. "Sorry," she winced. "Unexpected shock." She turned to Gabriel. "You had your own Miraculous?" she demanded.

He grimaced. "It's kept secure in my safe. Again, it's a long story, and one which I request to tell my wife in private, please."

"You said we needed your wife's Miraculous," she accused.

"It wasn't a lie," Gabriel insisted. "Only she can activate it's true powers."

"Why?"

"Because it is hers. Certain abilities were locked away from me," Gabriel explained. "I think now would be a good time to announce to Paris the conclusion to this saga... and perhaps the emergence of a new group of superheroes? Explain the latest threat?" He bowed his head. "Although, I would understand if you wish to pursue a different course of action. I fully accept the consequences of my behavior."

Marinette huffed and sat back on the ground. "I thought by now you would have understood that I do _not_ wish to pursue that route, though perhaps I should consult with my partner?" She glanced over to Adrien.

Mrs. Agreste, to her credit, didn't interrupt at all, though she looked terribly confused by the conversation around her.

Adrien gulped and shook his head. "No," he whispered. "I'm ready to move on from this."

Gabriel's shoulders sagged visibly. "Thank you," he whispered, his head still bowed to the ground.

"Let's go home, Mom," Adrien said. Gabriel nodded.

Marinette stepped back, content to let the Agrestes get some time to heal, when Adrien turned to her. "You're coming, too," he told her.

She protested, shaking her head and waving her hands. "You all are family, you need some time to heal," she insisted.

"You're family now, too, dear," Mrs. Agreste said with a smile.

"And we need to concoct a valid cover story," Gabriel added sensibly.

Marinette looked to each of their faces, biting her lip in uncertainty before she settled upon Adrien's hopeful one. She nodded. "Okay."

He smiled.

"Adrien, dear," Mrs. Agreste said, finally noticing Plagg and Tikki. "What are those other kwami doing here?"

Adrien chuckled. "We'll explain it at home, Mom."

* * *

_**Hawkmoth Defeated – Butterfly Miraculous Passed Onto Successor. New Superheroes Emerge!** _

_Today, Paris breathes a sigh of relief as the city closes its doors upon a dark chapter in her history. Ladybug and Chat Noir have announced that Hawkmoth has been defeated – his Miraculous returned into safe hands. Little is known about the exact details of the 'final battle', as the media have dubbed it, aside from the fact that the gorgeous fireworks show the other night was a big part of it. However, both Ladybug and Chat Noir have repeatedly stressed that yes, Hawkmoth has been stopped for good. They refrained from any further explanation aside from their prepared statement on the matter and refused to elaborate when pressed for comments._

" _Ah, I hate to be a bit of a downer," Chat Noir said, uncharacteristically serious, "but you guys are focusing so much upon Hawkmoth that you're forgetting there is a new threat out there."_

_This new threat, seen by most of Paris just last week, emerged briefly and swiftly vanished, leading some to believe – erroneously if we are to take the word of our superheroes – that it was either another failed akumatization or a hastily defeated new threat. It appears that it was neither – merely a threat that has been temporarily neutralized. But our resident heroes have assured us they are working hard on this new danger, and even recruited some new blood!_

_Two unfamiliar superheroes have been spotted around Paris. One, dressed in purple clothes echoing the style of Hawkmoth, calls herself Papillon. Her new partner, clad in royal blue and green, has adopted the name Paon. To those of you who have been living in Paris for a while, these names should come as no surprise. These superheros guarded our city back in the 1990s and early 2000s before they vanished, leading to speculation about their retirement. Despite their hiatus from superheroing, both come highly recommended and endorsed by Ladybug and Chat Noir, so we welcome our two newest (or oldest) superheroes back to Paris!_

" _Don't get too relaxed, Paris," Papillon was quoted as saying during her first public outing. "Papillon and Paon are back." She added a sultry wink to the gathered press. Beside her, Paon rolled his eyes at his partner's actions but otherwise maintained a stiffly formal countenance. If anyone doubts that these two are the real deal, you only have to watch their interactions to know that they're the same fiery duo who guarded Paris not so very long ago._ _When questioned, Paon leveled a look so fiercely protective at the gathered media that it eliminated any remaining questions about Paon and Papillon's status as a romantic couple. Perhaps Ladybug and Chat Noir will take a few lessons from their elder counterparts about combining love and duty?_

_Yet despite the jokes and playful banter, anyone present could sense the tension exuded by the gathered superheroes. When asked about it, Ladybug was the one to answer._

" _We're just trying to plan ahead," she explained. "Four superheroes might not be enough to counter this new threat, so maybe you'll be seeing even more superheroes in the near future."_

_And there you have it, Parisians. Keep your eyes to the sky and maybe you'll catch a glimpse of the newest heroes of our city!_

Adrien lowered his tablet after he finished reading and shot a smirk at his father, who sat across from him at his desk. " _Fiery duo,_ hmm?" he quoted. Gabriel fixed him with an unamused look. Duusu snoozed on the edge of the desk, the crumbs of some unidentified food scattered around her.

"Isn't it about time for you to get to bed?" he asked pointedly before attempting to return to his work.

"It's barely dark outside."

"You have an early morning photoshoot," Gabriel replied.

"I do?"

"It's a very special photoshoot."

"It is?"

Gabriel sighed and turned his attention back to Adrien. "Requested by Master Fu? I believe he wanted to discuss some additions to the team."

"We're a team now?"

"Adrien!"

"Okay, okay," Adrien laughed. "I'm going. You got any suggestions for ideas on who the new people should be?"

Gabriel shook his head. "I don't believe I am the best judge of character for that. However, it won't be a personal decision. You'll be merely helping to set up the tests for the potential recruits."

"Oh." Adrien didn't understand much right now but he supposed Master Fu would explain in the morning. On impulse, he ran over to his father and grabbed him in a quick hug. "Love you, Father," he said.

Gabriel softened and returned the hug. "And I love you, Adrien."

Adrien released his father and ran out of the room, leaving Gabriel to shake his head and go back to his work – not fashion related, as Adrien had suspected. But a request by Master Fu, using Gabriel's vast network of resources to research the latest threat. Gabriel felt confident that things would work out. After all, this time they had Lady Luck on their side.

Literally.

_The end_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who read this! I am planning a tentative sequel to this, and I have a short one-shot planned as part of this universe for Gabriel Appreciation Week.
> 
> Perdita wrote a short Christmas story using a a background inspired by this story! Link is listed below, check it out for all of your Love-Square happiness! :D
> 
> Edit 7-31-18: Yes, I originally wrote this with Emilie's name as Yvette, but since we've received official notice as to her actual name, and I'm continuing this series, I decided to edit this story to reflect the accuracy of canon. It got kind of weird for me to keep writing Yvette when I had her real name, and I didn't want to change it for follow-up sequels and keep it for this one.

**Author's Note:**

> I found it a fascinating possibility to see if I could turn Gabriel Agreste into a tragic hero – one who has purposefully forced people to view him as a villain specifically so they do not mourn his death, nor blame his wife by proxy for inadvertently causing the death of a hero. He knows that Ladybug and Chat Noir, in their idealism, would probably help if asked... but he also knows what's at risk and is unwilling to allow innocent people to die for him. Instead of the trope where he believes himself the hero of his own story, Gabriel Agreste knows full well that he will be viewed as a villain through history. He does not care. He only cares about saving his wife.
> 
> In that regard, he is blind to everyone around him and believes that if he just acts cold and harsh and attacks Paris, everyone will hate him.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [The Mistletoe Ball](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13092564) by [PerditaAlottachocolate](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerditaAlottachocolate/pseuds/PerditaAlottachocolate)




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